Airplane.



J. HARRIS.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 20, KM 7- I Patent ept 10, 1918,

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1. HARRIS.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATIONFIUED SEPT-20; I'QII- Patented Sept. .10, 1918.

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J. HARRIS.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATIOM FILED SEPT. 20. 1917.

1,278,462. I Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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I AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION man SEPT.20, 1912. I

1,278,462. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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I I J/g o 0 0 .I a is JOHN HARRIS, or LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

AIRPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 10, 1918.

Application filed September 20, 1917. Serial No. 192,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HARRIS, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Airplanes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to airplanes and has for its object to provide a new and eflioient form and construction of the planes for such craft.

By the employment of a plane of the character shown and described herein, and the manner of connecting the body thereto, I am enabled to secure certain advantages in the control, as explained hereinafter, the combination of the plane and the body not being claimed herein.

In the embodiment of the. invention illustrated and described herein, a plane is employed. which, while cambered fore and aft for stream-line effect is a true circle or an approximate true circle in outline; that is to say, the projection of said plane w1ll form a true circle or a substantially true circle.

The body, together with the motor and other parts carried thereby is pivotally suspended from the plane in such manner that the center of gravity tends automatically to fall beneatlfthe center of suspension irrespective of the angle to which'the plane may be set,

as for climbing, banking, descending, or

driving at maximum speed. Means are provided for tilting the plane in a fore and aft direction, as well as in a direction transverse to the length of the body for the purpose of banking and, as explained hereinafter, for the purpose of offsetting the propeller thrust, the tilting means being so arranged that the plane may be tilted to the maximum climbing angle as well as to the proper angles for banking, descending and for travelingat maximum velocity. Because of the construction of the plane and the manner of suspending thebody therefrom, should the driving power be materially decreased or even entirely out off, the front of the body willthereupon drop downwardly, bringing the center of gravity beneath the center of suspension, and automatically righting the plane, or bringing the same to a substantially horizontal position; and this result will be accomplished automatically even without any adjustment of the plane. Means are also-provided for supporting the plane from the body in such manner as to limit the tilting on angular displacement thereof with respect to the body whereby, when the airplane is parked, the plane will be maintained in readiness for starting and whereby the plane is prevented in flight from attaining a position whereln. the automatic self-righting effect will be impossible of realization.

, Referring to the drawings forming part hereof, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an airplane embodying the invention; Fig. 2 a front elevation and Fig. 3 a plan view of said airplane; Fig. 4 is a sectional and the parts connected to and carried thereby, the guide sheaves for the tilting cables being omitted; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of such frame; Fig. 6 a longitudinal sectional view through the central portion of the control frame; Fig. 7 a detail in eleva tion of part of the means for locking one of the drums forming part of the control; Fig. 8 a plan view of the plane; and Figs. 8 8", 8 8 and 8 are diagrammatic sectional viewscorrespondingrespectively to the lines aa to ee inclusive on Fig. 8; Fig. 9 a plan view of said plane and Figs. 9* to 9 inclusive are diagrammatic sectional views corresponding respectively to the lines aa to inclusive on Fig. 9; and Fig. 10 a horizontal sectional detail through the suspending rod and taken above the ball-andsocket joint.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated in the drawings, 1 denotes the plane and 2 the body of the airplane, the same being shown as provided with wheels 3 and a rear spring support 4.

The plane 1 is rigid, comprising preferably a frame having fore and aft and transdetail of the body showing the control frame verse struts of wood covered with airplane magnalium. Ilhe plane is cambered fore r the front and rear of said brackets.

taken through the wings of birds, produc-- ing a so-called-stream-line effect. .This will result in cupping the plane or disk 111 planes parallel to the line of flight; but the bottom of the plane is substantially straight or horizontal in planes taken at right angles to the line of flight, being in effect slightly convex in such sections because of the fact that the thickness of the plane (as determined by the thickness of the struts or of the metal) diminishes gradually from the center of the disk outwardly, as shown, the upper and the lower surface of the plane are convex in transverse section and such convexity is symmetrical. With this construction. there will not only be no pocketing of the air beneath the disk, but the tendencv will be for the air to flow backwardly and preferably slightly outwardly, as is the action in the case of the wings of soaring birds. The amount of the camber in each strut diminishes from the central strut outwardly toward the sides of the plane, being least in the extreme side struts. The struts are of sufiicient thickness and are sufficiently braced by the transverse struts. to

resist the maximum pressure to which the rear end of theplane will be subjected, increasing in thickness from the rear to the cambered front portions thereof. This construction will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 8 and 9.

The projcctionof the plane is a circle, and the body 2 is suspended from the center of said plane by means of a post 5 having a ball at the lower end thereof fitted within a socket 7. In order to limit the angular adjustment of the plane with reference to the body, means such as stop screws 8 carried by lugs 8 on the cup, are adapted to engage the rod or a part carried thereby.

At the front of the body 2 is the propeller 8 and at the rear is the rudder 9 and the elevators or stabilizers 10.

The body is preferably suspended from the plane in such manner that the center of gravity is forward of the center of suspen sion whereby, especially if the motor is stopped, there'will be a tendency for the front of the body to descend, to bring the center of gravity beneath the center of suspension.

lVithin the cockpit 11 there is mounted an inverted U-shaped frame 12, said frame having triangular brackets 13 projecting forwardly from each side thereof, said brackets supporting a transverse bar 14: at the forward ends and a similar bar 15 intermediate A similar transverse bar 16 is supported directly between the sides of the frame 12. 17 denotes a shaft which is journalcd in the bars 14 and 15 and which carries a drum 1S rigid therewith. To the rear of the drum 18 a second drum 19 is mounted upon a hollow shaft 20 surrounding the shaft 17. The shafts 1'7 and 20 are provided respectively with hand wheels 17 and 20*, the said hand wheels being provided with extended hubs or sleeves 17 and 20" rigidly connected to their respective shafts. Mounted on the shaft 17 is a locking disk 21, a similar disk 22 being mounted on the shaft 20. Mounted. upon the drum 18 is a cable 23 the opposite ends whereof are connected to the front and back of the plane 1, the branches of said cable being led over sheaves 24 near the front ends of the brackets and thence around sheaves 25 concentric with the rod 26 on which the U-shaped frame is mounted to rock and thence around suitable sheaves (not shown) to the front and back of the plane. A cable 27 is wound around the drum 19 and is conducted around sheaves 28 supported by the brackets 13, thence around sheaves 29 at the bottom of the U- shaped frame and concentric with the rod 26, thence around sheaves 30 and sheaves 31 to the opposite sides of the plane. The rods 32 are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the. U-shaped frame and extend rear wardly therefrom to the elevators or stabilizers 10. 33, 33 denote cross bars extending transversely of the body and mounted on a shaft 33 rotatable within a sleeve support 3i. The opposite ends of the bar 33 are connected to opposite sides of the rudder 9 by means of cable 33. The rod 5 is provided with a head 5* above the ball-andsocket joint. From this head, stays 5 extend to the plane, within the periphery thereof.

From the construction described, it will be evident that, by rotating the shaft 17, the angle of incidence of the )lane may be varied between the limits defined by the stops, whereby the plane may be adjusted to the maximum angle suitable for climbing to an angle suitable for descending as well as to any desired intermediate angle. The cen *r of gravity being between the line of thrust and the center of drift, the line of thrust is in a horizontal plane when under power, whereby the highest engine efficiency may be obtained. For the purpose of locking the plane in any desired position, each of the locking disks 21, 22 is provided with a suitable number of radial notches or recesses 21, 22 in the periphery thereof. Cooperating with the. notches 21 is a dog or pawl having a shank extending through a collar 36 mounted on the bar 14, said shank having a head 37 rigid therewith. Between this head and collar is inserted a helical spring 38 which normally holds the dog within one of the locking notches of the disk. Extending from the shank of said dog is a cable or other flexible connection 39 which may be conveniently led around a sheave 40 on the forward end of the bracket 13 and thence to the short arm 41 of an angle lever, thc operating arm whereof is indicated at 42. This angle lever is shown as pivotally supported by means of a bracket l3 carried by one of the sides of the frame 12 and located in a convenient position to enable the handle 42 to be grasped by the operator. As here shown, the lever is pivoted and the handle located adjacent to the hand wheel 20*.

The disk 22 is constructed in substantially the same manner as the disk 21 and is provided with a locking dog cable, and lever constructed and operating in the same manner as the dog 35, cable 39, and lever 41, 42, the angle lever for operating the said dog being mounted on the opposite side of the U-shaped frame from the lever 41, 42. Both of these levers are so mounted that, when the operator desires to tilt the plane, he

throws down the handle of the appropriate lever, thereby withdrawing the corresponding dog from the locking notch with which it cooperates. By swinging the arm ll be yond the center, the spring will operate to hold the dog in its unlocked position (as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7 until the plane has been adjusted to the desired angle, after which the operator willmove the handle of the lever upwardly until the arm thereof which is connected to the dog re-passes the center, whereupon the spring will seat the dog in the notch or recess corresponding thereto. When it is desired to operate the elevators or stabilizers, this re- 1 sult is secured by merely rocking the frame 12 about its pivot, this operation of the elevators or stabilizers having no effect upon the adjustment of the plane. The rudder will be operated by means of the crossbars 33 and 33 and the cables 33.

By the construction and arrangement of parts described and illustrated herein, it will beapparent that the plane 1 may be adjusted so as tosecure any desired angle of incidence within the safe and predetermined limits provided by the range'of-adjustment of said plane with reference to the cup 17 or body 2; also that, because of the fact that the center of gravity of the body is somewhat in advance of the center of suspension, should the motor speed be materially reduced or should the motor be put out ofoperation, the front of the body will drop, bringing the center of gravity beneath the center of suspension, thereby bringing the plane to a substantially horizontal position wherein it will permit the airplane to settle. It will also be evident that, because of the ability to control the angle of incidence at will, the thrust of the propeller may be maintained horizontal, thereby enabling the engine to operate at its maximum efliciency at all angles of incidence of the plane. Because of the arrangement of the stops 8, the most eflicient angle for climbing cannot be exceeded and there can be no danger of the plane assuming a position wherein the automatic righting feature will be prevented or interfered witheven should the operator neglect to assist such righting position by moving the front, back or sides of the plane toward the body. Under ordinary operating conditions, the tendency of the front of the body to drop is compensated for by the fact that the line of thrust is below the center of drift, whereby the line of thrust may be maintained horizontal. The torque of. the propeller can be readily compensated for by the lateral adjustment of the plane. Furthermore, because of the shape of the plane and the possibility of so adjusting it that the angle of incidence may operate with maximum efficiency. it will be possible in starting to rise at once and without the necessity for racing.

Vhile my invention is illustrated and described herein as realized in and through the use of a single plane, it will be evident that two or more planes may be employed with a single body and hence I do not propose to limit the scope of my invention to an embodiment having only a single plane.

Theplane is a solid or unbroken plane, as

distinguished from an annular plane or other discontinuous plane; and the word solid is employed in the claims to distinguish the same from such annular or discontinuous planes.

Having thus described my what I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a solid circular plane cambered fore and aft, the camber diminishing from the central portion toward the sides and the lower surface being slightly convex in transverse planes.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a solid circular plane cambered fore and aft, the sides of thelower surface of said lane invent-ion,

being somewhat higher than the centra por- 5. As a new article of manufacture, a solid circular plane camhered fore and aft, the camber diminishing from the central portion toward the sides and the upper and I 6 lower surfaces being convex in trans-verse planes.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a

solid c rcular plane cambered fore and aft, the upper and lower surfaces of the plane being convex in transverse planes.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

J OHN HARRIS. 

